Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-12-16
THE YULE-TIDE FEAST.
Aud CHRISTMAS tsiving---The Hrnt Les
son TINT the senson Hring-.

Aud thristntus tstVtug---Ihe teul Les
sou TINT the senson Brings.
Christmas. more than any other of our
annual festivals, j, the especial property Of
the children It celebrate, the birth OF an
Infant who became the wi,e,t philosopher,
the most ,kilful physician and the tender.
est frieudof which history has made record.
How much lie was 90 the world as a whole
and to the individual as a unit. human Ian
guage is pitifullv inadequate to express.
even it reverence permitted an attempt at
such portrayal What We can do. how
ever. is t. make the lay Il, significant rs
possible Of our deep gratitude 10y shown
our good will To- all both in word and deed,
by banishing all resentment from our hearts,
and bv making amends for the wrongs we
have done our fellows.
Unhuppiy, many persons have come to
believe that Christmas goodwill can only
be expressed 10y costly or snowy gifts. They
mistake the spirit of the day, and see only
the letter of the lesson which Christmas
brings from heaven Even little children
catch this sentiment Of selhshness, and
measure their satisfaction or disappoint-
ment with the day by the number of gifts
they receive In this way the significance
Of the day is not only wholly lost, but there
is planted in little hearts n hurtful acquisi-
tiveness and selishness. which the world is
more likely to uourish than to uproot.
Christmas time should rather be made an
occasion for impressing lessons of benevo-
lence upon youthful minds The pleasure
Of planning and carrying out projects by
which others are to be made glad cannot
he enjoyed too edrly in life. and even the
Il
crosby ut this hour of goodwill 1t is all
about them 1t is in the air The tenden-
cy Of thought, or at least of its outward
expression, sets toward lowing and giving, 80
if, indeed, the ruling spirits Of the family
rise above the sordid
An article that u friends hands have shnp-
ed or u friends thoughts devised has a value
that money cannot place upon it. The ten
der remembrance of such gifts follows us
through all the years, while an ostentatious
present is always thrusting into ones face
the inquiry. "Nhat can YOU buy Us IA com
pcusutiun for me cost my giver large
sum Of money. Neither friendship, loyalty
nor timely attentions can requte such gen
crosby It expensive gifts are the pleas
ure of the open handed, it would he delicate
tn hestow them ON other days than the sa
cred Christmas time, for these hours belong
to the least worldly and the most holy hu
man associations.
1t is pretty custom To- have little bunch
es Of holly tied with tiny ribbon and depos
tied in basket near at hand ON Christina.
morning, II bunch being given each person
who brings pleasant Wishe, and the greet
ngs Of the day. 1t is also charming plan
to tie IA holly spray to every gift that is SEM
out, whether it be costly in itself or simply
e. l. al, I'LL
day note, but it may he drarer than all ma
tcrial gifts, because Il true friendship car
never be weighed or measured by earthly
gauges and balances. a sprig of holly anC
message of goodwill when its spirit il
rightly understood, often touches the tru,
heart more deeply than the richest gifts
There has been, and still is, too little tina
is personal aud heartfelt in our iuterrhang,
of Christmas presents